Heel for boots and shoes



Dec. 31, 1929; E, B BlSHOP 1,741,754

HEEL FOR BOOTS AND SHOES Filed March 22, 1928 Patented Dec. 31, 1929 stirs Uli?.

EDV/ARD B. BS-IOE, OF HAVEBHLL, MASSACHUSETTS HEEL non Bootes AND sirens VApplication led Maren 22, 1928. Serial No. 263,829.

My invention relates to heels tor boots and shoes and it has tor its object to improve the construction thereof.

The heels ot boots and shoes wear awa-y.

more quickly at the rear outer sides thereof and it has heretofore been proposed to construct the heel of a boot or shoe with an adjustable block or heel-section constituting the said rear outer portion of the heel, the latter l0 beino so 'organized and arranged that this block could bei adjusted as by reversing its position within a recess vprovided for it in the body of the heel', thereby to positiona 'resh unworn portion of said block or heel- .115 section at this point of greatest wear.

ln one heel of this class7 as heretofore constructed, the adjustable heel-section was mounted in a pocket or recess immediately at the outer periphery et the heel so t-hat its outer side constituted a portionof the outer side of the heel. The objection to Vthis construction was that when applying a heel ot this kind to a shoe the operation of trimming the heel would mis-shape the exposed side portion of the heel-section Yblock and so change its shape that when reversed to coinpensatc for wear it would not properly fit the cavity or recess provided for it.

ln another heel of this class as heretofore provided the adjustable heel-section or block was mounted within a pocket or cavity disposed within the outline of the tread side et the heel but near the rear outer side thereof. The objection to this form of heel was that v the thin wall oi material between the cavity Vl5 is separated 'from the outer peripl ery ott the heel by a comparativelynarrow wall.

The distinguishing feature ot my invention consists in incorporating within this comp aratively thin marginal wall a metallic reinforc- 59 means to strengthen and hold the same in shape. In the best form ot my invention this wall reinforcing means is part of a metallic anchoring member incorporated within the heel adjacent the inner end orp the pocket or recess within which the adjustable heelsection or block is mounted and held by said anchor member.

Other features of my invention are hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a. portion of a shoe having a heel constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view, partly broken away, of the heel of the shoe shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the adjustable heel-section of the heel shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Y

Figure 4 is a plan view or" the anchor or member hereinafter described.

Figure 5 is an edge View of the anchor plate or member shown in Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a detail hereinafter described.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a portion of a boot or shoe provided with a heel embodying another form of my invention.

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of the heel shown in Fig. 7 but with the adjustable heelsection or block removed.

Figure 9 is a detail of the anchor plate shown in Fig. 7.

In Figures 1 to 6 inclusive of the drawings I have shown my invention as embodied in a socalled rubber heel while Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the invention as embodied in a leather heel.

Having reference particularly to Figures 1 to 6, 10 represents the upper of a boot or shoe, 1l the outer sole and 12 the heel. As herein shown the heel 12 comprises a rubber top lift 13 and a leather heel seat lift 11i. Upon its tread side the rubber top lift or heel 13 is made with a pocket or cavity 15 toreceive within it a heel-section or block 16. The shoe shown in Figure 1 is for the right foot and as will be clear from Figure 2 the pocket r15 is positioned at the rear outer side adjacent the rear outer side of the h eel and at its outer side this pocket is bounded plate by a comparatively thin wall 17 whose inner and outer sides are parallel. This pocket 15 is eye-shaped, that is, it has oppositely disposed more or less pointed ends and two opposite sides which are of counterpart shape, each being formed on a differential curve and the outer side, as just pointed out, being parallel with the margin or periphery of the heel.

Within the pocket or cavity 15 is arranged the heel-section or block 16 which corresponds in shape with the shape of the pocket 15 having two opposite counterpart sides curved differentially to correspond with and fit the opposite sides of the pocket 15.

Embedded Within the heel-section or block 16 is a sheet metal reinforcing plate or core 18 formed at its middle with an aperture to receive a screw 19 by means of which said plate or core is clamped lixedly to a post 2O rovided upon an anchor member 21 embedded Within the rubber heel lift 13 opposite and adjacent the inner end of the cavity or pocket 15.

The reinforcing plate or core 18 of the heel-section 16 may be provided with aper tures 22, Fig. 3, through Which the material of the heel section 16 extends to connect or bind together the parts thereof at opposite sides of said core or plate.

So also the anchor plate 21 may be formed with apertures 23, Figure 4, through which the material of the heel lift 18 may extend to bind together the portions thereof at opposite sides of said anchor plate 2l.

The rubber heel lift 13 may be provided with washers 24 and holes 25 to receive the heel attaching nails 26 and the anchor plate 21 is also provided with apertures 27 for the reception of other heel attaching nails 28.

An important feature of my invention consists in constructing the relatively small marginal wall 17 with metallic reinforcing and stren hening means which in Figures 1 and 2 is s own as a curved perpendicular flange 29 provided along the outer side of the anchor plate 21, said fiange being embedded within, and at the middle of, the wall 17.

It will therefore be clear that'when the heel strikes down onto the ground at its rear end the strains and stresses to which the wall 17 is then subjected which tend to bend said Wall away from the heel-section 16 and even to break it down, are opposed and prevented from doing so by the reinforcing flange 29.

This flange 29, as shown clearly in Fig ures 1 and 5, may be formed with apertures 30 through which extend bonds of rubber which unlte the part of the wall 17 outside of flange 29 with the part thereof that Vis within said flange.

The heel-section or block 16 is preferably made from rubber like the body portion of the lift 13 but it may be made from any other Suitable material or combination of materials. Also, while I prefer to shape the pocket or cavity 15 and the heel-section 16 as described other shapes may be employed so long as the block 16 is adjustable to compensate for wear of the rear portion thereof.

With the form of block and cavity herein shown the heel section or block 16 may be adjusted both by rotation and reversal thereof. That is to say, by removing the screw 19 the heel section or block 16 may be Withdrawn from the cavity or pocket 15. rotated one hundred and eighty degrees and replaced thereby positioning a fresh portion of said heel-section 16 at the back of the heel, or after first removing the screw 19 the heel-section or block 16 may be removed from the pocket or cavity 15, reversed and restored yto said pocket in either of two positions.

The post 20 of the anchor member 21 may, as shown in Figure 6, be a section of interiorly threaded tubing riveted, or otherwise secured, within a hole provided in member 21.

In Figures 7, 8 and 9 which illustrate a leather type of heel the latter is made with a relatively thick top lift 13 formed with a hole 15a through it that is shaped, as shown in Figure 8, and positioned the same as the pocket or cavity 15 of Figure 1. To the upper side of this top lift 13n is secured, as by nails 31, a leather lift 13b between which and the top lift 13L is arranged the anchor member or plate 21a provided with a post 20 positioned at the middle of the hole 15. Thus the tWo lifts 13a and 13b constitute a heel or heel lift structure provided upon its tread side with a cavity 15 at the inner end of which is disposed the anchor plate 21a. Within this cavity is arranged the heel-section 16 which may be constructed like the corresponding heel-section of Figures 1 and 2 and likewise secured in position within `the pocket 15iL by a screw 19 engaged with the post 20a.

In this form of my invention the anchor plate 21 is provided at its outer margin with perpendicular spike extensions 29a that are driven into the relatively narrow marginal wall 17 of the top lift 13 and these spikes 29 serve to reinforce and strengthen said wall. If desired, the anchor plate 21 may also be provided at its outer margin with upwardly directed perpendicular spikes 32. These spikes 32, with the spikes 29a, serve as means for connecting the two lifts 13 and. 13b and particularly as means for connecting the relatively narrow wall 17 a with the complete lift 13b. The completed heel structure may be attached to the shoe by nails 38.

The form of my invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive is of simple and eflicient construction and may be produced by the usual methods employed in making rubber heels or top lifts. When completed and upon a shoe the relatively narrow marginal Wall 17 of the lift or heel 13 is strong, durable and so reinforced by the metallic flange 29 that it retains its position fitted snugly against the outer side of the heel-section 16.

In the form of my invention shown in Figures 7 to 9, inclusive, the anchor plate 219' is elfectually coniined in position between the two lifts 13 and 13b, it serves as a connector unit-ing those two lifts, and through the spike connections 29 and 32 is held against movement relatively to said tivo lifts. ln this form of my invention the heel-section 16 is preferably made from rubber or the like.

lt will be noted that regardless of the 1naterial from Which the insert block 16 is made the same is, in the form of my invention shown in Figure 1, seated at its inner end upon a substantial layer of resilient rubber that is part of the bodv 13 and that this layer Will serve as a cushion for the block 16 when the latter is made from a rigid material.

What I claim is:

1. A. boot or shoe heel comprising a body member formed upon its tread side near the rear thereof with a pocket that is separated from the adjacent periphery of said body member by a relatively thin Wall that is part of the latter; a heel-section mounted Within said pocket and adjustable therein to compensate for Wear thereof, and metallic means embedded Within said relatively thin Wall to reinforce the latter.

2. A boot or shoe heel comprising a body member formed upon its tread side near the rear thereof with a pocket that is separated from the adjacent periphery of said body member by a relatively thin Wall that is part of the latter; a metallic anchor member adjacent the inner end of said pocket and eX- tended into said relatively thin Wall to reinforce and strengthen the latter; a heel-section mounted Within said pocket and adjustable therein to compensate for Wear of the same, and means separably connecting said heelsection with said anchor member to secure said heel-section in position Within said pocket.

3. A boot or shoe heel comprising a body member formeel upon its tread side near the rear thereof With a pocket that is separated Jfrom the adjacent periphery of said body niemberby a relatively thin Wall that is part of the latter; a metallic anchor member disposed adjacent the inner end of said pocket made With a perpendicular extension embedded Within and-extending longitudinally of said relatively thin Wall to reinforce and support the latter; a heel-section mounted Within said pocket, and means separably connecting said heel-section to said anchor member so that it is removable for adjustment to compensate for Wear thereof.

i. A boot or shoe heel comprising a body member of rubber formed upon its tread side near the rear thereof with a pocket that is separated from the adjacent periphery of said body member by a relatively thin Wall, said pocket being eye-shaped and having one side thereof bounded by said Wall and paralleling the adjacent periphery of said body member; a metallic anchor plate embedded Within said body member opposite the inner end of said pocket and formed With a perpendicular flange embedded Within and extending throughout the length of said relatively thin Wall to reinforce the latter, `said plate being constructed with a post extending into said pocket at the middle of the latter; a heelsection of rubber mounted Within said pocket; a metal plate embedded Within said heelsection and abutting the lower end of said post, said plate being made with an aperture registering With said post, and ascreyv ccupying said aperture and separably engaged with said post to fasten said plate in position against the lower end of the latter so as to pron vide for adjustment of said section in said pocket to compensate for Wear thereof.

Signed by me at Boston, county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, this 16th day of March, 1928.

EDWARD B. BISHOP.

CID 

